Season series: This is the second and final game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Vancouver Canucks. Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz each had a goal and two assists, and Evgeni Malkin had the shootout winner in Pittsburgh's 4-3 win at Consol Energy Center on Oct. 19. Kevin Bieksa assisted on all three Vancouver goals.

Big story: The Canucks have goaltending questions once again after Roberto Luongo returned Saturday from a three-game absence, stopped 46 shots in a 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, but came away ailing again, to the point where 43-year-old Rob Laurie had to be signed as an emergency to back up Eddie Lack against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. TSN's James Duthie reported late Monday afternoon that Luongo has an ankle injury, but it's not believed to be serious. He underwent an MRI and was seen walking without a limp.

Team Scope:

Penguins: This is the start of a three-game road trip through western Canada for Pittsburgh, which got two key pieces to the puzzle back Sunday against the Winnipeg Jets. Kris Letang, who had been sidelined since Dec. 13, saw 24:31 of ice time and picked up an assist. Malkin, out since Dec. 14, scored twice and added an assist. Matt Niskanen scored with 7:22 remaining as the Penguins won 6-5 in a back-and-forth affair.

"We have a good structure here. We're always going to have a good chance to win because of that," defenseman Rob Scuderi said in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "But you can't teach what those guys have. Their vision, the ability to make guys miss, to open up space for someone else. That's strictly a feel thing. They have it. That's why they're special."

Canucks: Lack was 1-1-1 in three starts during Luongo's previous injury absence and Joacim Eriksson, who served as his backup during that stretch, was recalled again from the American Hockey League on Monday.

The Ducks edged the Canucks 4-3 on a Corey Perry goal in the final seconds of overtime, leaving Lack winless in three straight starts, but for a second consecutive night Vancouver made life difficult on its goaltender by allowing nearly 50 shots. Lack made 45 saves to help the Canucks secure a point.

"Giving up that many shots, it's not one or two things," defenseman Dan Hamhuis said in the Vancouver Province. "It's a lot of collective things and aside from the actual details and specifics, a lot of it is a mindset too."

Who's hot: James Neal has six goals and six assists in his past five games for the Penguins. Jussi Jokinen has three goals in the past two games. Crosby has three goals and six assists during a five-game point streak. Kunitz (three goals, five assists) and Niskanen (two goals, two assists) have four-game point streaks. … Ryan Kesler has goals in consecutive games for the Canucks. Henrik Sedin had a goal and two assists against the Ducks, while Daniel Sedin had three assists.

5thhorseman wrote:Man, that PK by the pens gave us absolutely no room at all!

What else is new? Why don't we just template a line for the PP that goes like this: "Man that PK by (insert opposing team here) is giving the guys fits. No room out there at all. They just can't get anything going."

Two nights later and what has changed since? Same old shit. Can someone snipe Garrison and/or Bieksa from the rafters and put them out of everyone's misery right now?

Looking at Hank out there, why is he even playing? Fuck the iron man streak; he has the Olys to prep for and playing hurt like that doesn't do anybody any good. For that matter, can't MG just pull a mercy hook and shut down the Sedins for the season a-la Manny? Just come up with some half-way legit health issue and rest them up this season because it's evident the last game or two that they are not where they need to be. Hell, if he can't do that why not have Torts bench them both; it's not like he's never done that anywhere else before.

What happened to the twins ever keeping the puck on the boards and getting it off the boards? Is it fair to ask if those days are done? If so, what are we paying them for???

The only guy coming close to doing anything out there is Kesler and (it's a stretch) Kassian.

5thhorseman wrote:Man, that PK by the pens gave us absolutely no room at all!

What else is new? Why don't we just template a line for the PP that goes like this: "Man that PK by (insert opposing team here) is giving the guys fits. No room out there at all. They just can't get anything going."

Two nights later and what has changed since? Same old shit. Can someone snipe Garrison and/or Bieksa from the rafters and put them out of everyone's misery right now?

Yeah I notice everyone on here is getting a bit crabby lately. I have to say the PP looks even worse than usual against the Pens. I thought the Sestito idea was novel, but didn't Torts tell them not to pass to him?

5thhorseman wrote:Man, that PK by the pens gave us absolutely no room at all!

What else is new? Why don't we just template a line for the PP that goes like this: "Man that PK by (insert opposing team here) is giving the guys fits. No room out there at all. They just can't get anything going."

Two nights later and what has changed since? Same old shit. Can someone snipe Garrison and/or Bieksa from the rafters and put them out of everyone's misery right now?

Yeah I notice everyone on here is getting a bit crabby lately. I have to say the PP looks even worse than usual against the Pens. I thought the Sestito idea was novel, but didn't Torts tell them not to pass to him?

Actually, Ferraro kinda hit the nail on the head when he said they need to add more fluidity to their PP tactics. Every time, it's drop pass take it in, set Hank on the sideboards or behind the net and look for the pass to the side of the net, or cross-crease to Kes for the 1-timer or to Garrison for the bomb.

That's.

It.

Here's a crazy idea: Take Hank off the #1 unit, and replace him with Danny as the playmaker and put somebody like Kassian on the other wing. Give the PK something to guess about in terms of where the play is going to come from or who will make it. Right now, it's too predictable.

Nice to see the Canucks fail to roll over after it went 2-0. We'll see if there's anything left for the 3rd.

Lancer wrote:Actually, Ferraro kinda hit the nail on the head when he said they need to add more fluidity to their PP tactics. Every time, it's drop pass take it in, set Hank on the sideboards or behind the net and look for the pass to the side of the net, or cross-crease to Kes for the 1-timer or to Garrison for the bomb.

That's.

It.

Yeah. That's only what I've been saying for 2 years.....but it's some great insight coming from Ferraro.

Lancer wrote:Here's a crazy idea: Take Hank off the #1 unit, and replace him with Danny as the playmaker and put somebody like Kassian on the other wing. Give the PK something to guess about in terms of where the play is going to come from or who will make it. Right now, it's too predictable.

Nice to see the Canucks fail to roll over after it went 2-0. We'll see if there's anything left for the 3rd.

Might as well try it.

Kassian is actually a decent playmaker himself too.....which has been a nice surprise this year. He just doesn't have anyone on his line who can finish.